How to Prevent Response Bias when Conducting Surveys

How to Prevent Response Bias when Conducting Surveys

Response bias is the tendency of people to answer questions in a not wholly truthful way when they are administered a survey. It is caused by people being more interested in portraying themselves in the best possible light, instead of revealing what they really think. This can ruin data and steer companies in the wrong direction. Psychology has experienced a great deal of response bias when it comes to patients describing their personal traits, their attitudes on race or sex, and their behaviors pertaining to alcohol and drug use.
Any organization conducting a survey of its customers should focus on gathering the most accurately focused snapshot of those people. Questions in any survey should lead to the truth, not the conclusion the person asking the question expects. Bad surveys start with a preferred conclusion and work backward to support it, leading to bad results and bad business. When creating a survey, it is best to mimic the scientific method and use dedicated survey software to make it simple for the intended audience to easily participate. Questions can also lead to response bias, as respondents who are more satisfied tend to respond to surveys.